Butte semi-weekly miner. [volume] (Butte, Mont.) 1886-1890, 1887-02-16
MONTANA, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY

would deny to the contractors the right to
leaving those physically unable
to work on the hands OF the
Territory for support. He was constitu-
tionally opposed to placing human beings
under contract for their labor. 1t was in
human to work even convict when physi-
cally incapable, and it was well-known that
when the question of physical torture stood
betw cen a contractor of convict labor and
his profit and gain, some one was sure to
get the worst OF it, and it were disgraceful
for the Territory to subject any person
whatever to physical torture. Persons
sentenced by our courts are apt to be lost
lsight of by people surrounded by the COM
forts OF life, and they are not generally in
formed of the fact that instead OF being well
taken care Of they are often placed under
burly negro guards who are at liberty to
strike and beat and even kill the unlucky
wretch under their authority with no one
to look after their welfare. Regarding the
competition aspect he said that honest lab
orers and taxpayers would, by the passage
OF this bill be compelled to pay for the sup
Iport of labor to compete with themselves.
Monschausen then took the floor and
said that he knew the bansful effect upon a
human being of long continued idleness and
he was willing, for humanity's sake, prison
skilled laborers. He illustrated at con-
siderable length the harmful effect that the
contract would have in throwing upon the
market the product of this cheap labor
against which men outside of the prison
| would have to compete, or pack up their
tools and leave the Territory. He believed
that those who owned the cheap labor
used in the construction of buildings on the
market at from 20 to so per cent less than
outsiders. He admitted that the necessity |
| for the employment OF convicts in some
manner was great, but he also thought that |
| it was Imperative to devise such a scheme |
| as would make them self-supPorting, upon |
| basis which would ensure positive mini |
| mum of competition with honest working |
men. He. suggested that the contractors /
| should give good and sufficient bond to an |
agreement to employ the men only in TAX |
ing out stone from a quarry-as laborers, |
| in fact-and to not use them as skilled |
workmen and that they should be bound |
to sell the stone thus quarried to all pur-
chasers, great or small, at the same prices. |
Hon. Will Kennedy, member of the Legis-
lature, was brought to his feet by some re-
marks Incorporated in Judge Clements
speech, in which he stated that when the
bill allowing INDECENT persons counsel, to
be paid for by the Territory, when tried
upon criminal charges in the Probate
Court, some OF the members had, in argu-
ing against the bill, stated that the meas
ure should not pass because the probate
judges and shyster lawyers could not be
trusted so far as to allow them a chance to
combine and have suits brought against
OF q "divy" OF the fee allowed the lawyers
appointed by the Court. Clements thought
the insinuation of corruption came with
ill grace from legislators who hold Office for
sixty days, when the history Of political
corruption showed that a great majority
OF corrupt jot'bery could be traced to the
doors OF officials who held the shorter
terms OF Office, and then were free to act in.
'dependently OF the people. Officers who
filled long terms and depended upon their
salaries to support their families could not
afford to place the comfort OF those de-
pendent upon them in jeopardy by dealing
in small corruptions. 1t would be well for
honest laborers and taxpayers to demand
the hehests of their representatives, the
lawmakers, who were SO apt to be 'seen,"
in such a determined spirit that they could
not be deuied.
These remarks as stated brought Ken
nedy to the floor who said the people
should not be bamboozled by the cry OF
stop thief from one who stands in an off,
al position of great trust himself. About
tho only argument of merit he had4hee I'd
against the pending bill was that concern
ing competition with honest labor. He
could assure his hearers that the measure
would receive due and honest consideration
at the hands of the Legislature.
Kennedy was followed by Col. Sanders,
who also took a shot at Clements for his
aspersions upon Montana's Lawmakers,
He bad served years in that body without
ever having knowledge or suspicion OF any
member being ''approached" or permitting
his vote to be corruptly influenced. In re-
gard to the disposition of the criminals of
the Territory he was decidedly against any
measure which would tend to throw their
labor into direct competition with honest
people. He said that criminals were those
who saddled themselves upon the rest OF a
community whose duty it became to take
care of them by going down into their pock-
cts and producing their hard earned money
to support them. They were composed of
two classes, those who drank too much
whisky, and those whose consti-
them to crime. He had no sentiment
to waste upon them. The question re-
solved itself into how to make the neces-
eary burden for the support of criminals as
light as possible upon the rest of mankind. {
This, he believed, could be nearly ap-
preached by making them build their own 1
prison, and by engaging them in the least
possible competitive work which would
support them. He believed that the esti-
mates placed upon the probable profits of i
contractors, under the pending bill, were
greatly exaggerated. He did not imagine
they would enter into contract without {
profit in view, and they ought to have {
one, but as for himself he would buy a {
sawbuck and saw wood upon the streets
before he would enter into any connection t
with such d scheme, even if there were mil |
lions in it. He also believed that the Ter
ritory should appoint guards and other Of
fcers to see that the prisoners were we'll
taken care Of. In conclusion, he advised
moderation in speech and action, as, if the !
more radical measures were undertaken t
they would be sure of defeat.
Several other speeches were made and a 9
committee appointed to draft resolutions q
to be presented at a subsequent meeting to l
be called by the committee. The meeting r
was quiet and orderly. The speakers (
almost unanimously condemned, in moder- Il
alton, some feature or other of the bill now {
pending, and their action will not fail OF t
having due influence upon future considera- t
ton OF the measure by the Legislature. "
Subsequent to adjournment the Commit t
tee on Resolutions, composed of Messrs. j
Kirtley, Parke. Bennett, Colman and L
Duigan, reported the following resolutions.
which are given in full: lI
"dknEA0 ue Cdle3 :!i1 f6DlCeQ- |
tiary bill pending before Ii! legislature a
which would, il passed pr detrimental s
to the different trades in :inl:.taa, and at r
the same time create a n,sIupoly which
would, in every respect be contrary to the 1
spirit OF American government, because a
said monopoly would and does SAVIOR too Il
much of slavery; therefore, It
Resolved, That in the interest of the {
people OF Montana We respectfully demand
that said Penitentiary bill, now pending
before our Legislature, do not pass, and be
it further Ia
Resolved. That we would heartily sup a
port any scheme or measure whereby the n
Territory would take the matter in hand a
itself and find suitable locality for pen h
itentiary, put the convictst to work, let them v
build the penitentiary, quarry the rocks q
and build and improve public highways, >
but under no consideration would we h
any measure whereby convicts t
we're brought directly into competition with =
or any others killed labor.